To stand for justice by pursuing the guilty, protecting the innocent, and upholding the
The Office of the District Attorney General for the 7th Judicial District represents the people of the State of Tennessee in all criminal cases that occur within Anderson County. The position of District Attorney General was created by the Tennessee Constitution and provides that each District Attorney shall be elected by the voters within their judicial district and shall serve an eight-year term. The State is divided into thirty-one judicial districts each with judges, and a district attorney to administer the criminal justice system. Anderson County comprises the 7th Judicial District.
The District Attorney appears on behalf of the State of Tennessee to prosecute all misdemeanor and felony charges brought in Juvenile Court, the General Sessions Courts and the Criminal Courts of the District. The Office has lawyers who have specialized skills and training in such areas as child physical and sexual abuse, complex drug prosecutions, death penalty prosecutions, domestic violence, elder abuse, fraud and economic crime, and vehicular crimes.
In Anderson County, most criminal cases are the result of investigations conducted by and arrests made by the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, the City Police Departments for the cities of Clinton, Norris, Oak Ridge, Oliver Springs and Rocky Top, the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force, the Tennessee Highway Patrol or the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The District Attorney’s Office is responsible for determining whether there is enough evidence to prosecute persons accused of crimes. If not, the charges will be dismissed; otherwise, the District Attorney General or an Assistant District Attorneys appear in the various General Sessions and Criminal Courts where such cases are tried before a judge or a jury or are resolved upon guilty pleas. In addition to courtroom duties, the District Attorney General reviews citizen complaints about alleged criminal activity, consults with law enforcement agencies about on-going investigations, and provides legal advice to the police.
What is a District Attorney General?
Article VI § 5 of the Tennessee Constitution establishes the Office of the District Attorney and provides that the District Attorney shall be elected by the qualified voters of the district to hold office for 8 years. The Duties of the District Attorney are set out in Tennessee Code Annotated § 8-7- 103.
What does a District Attorney General do?
The District Attorney General and his or her staff prosecute all criminal cases on behalf of the citizens of the State of Tennessee. The District Attorney General is the chief law enforcement officer in his or her district of Tennessee. District Attorneys also have a number of other unexpected duties like ordering autopsies, helping crime victims, writing legislation, and promoting a safer community.
Who does the District Attorney General work for?
The District Attorney General works for the people of the State of Tennessee and is elected by the qualified voters of their judicial district.
What District am I in, and who is my District Attorney?
If you reside in Anderson County, you are included in the 7th Judicial District, and Dave Clark is your District Attorney General. To view other districts, click here.
